NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — The mayor of Lumberton Township, New Jersey, has been indicted on child endangerment charges.
Earlier this year, Gina LaPlaca, 46, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after picking up her 2-year-old from day care on St. Patrick’s Day. Another driver contacted police to report that LaPlaca’s vehicle was swerving across the centerline, nearly striking oncoming vehicles.
Police released body camera footage of the arrest, which shows LaPlaca stumbling during a field sobriety test. Officers searched her car and found a water bottle filled with alcohol. When asked if she had been drinking, she replied, “Yes.” She admitted to drinking vodka before picking her son up from day care.
According to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s office, she was charged by a grand jury with endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse. An arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 8 in Mount Holly.